Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"I wished that I could meet my brothers. The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Are we not your brothers?' the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'You are my Companions; my brothers are those who will believe in me although they have not seen me.'"
Ahmad recorded it, and Abu Ya'la recorded it with these words:
"When will I meet my brothers? The people said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Are we not your brothers?' the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
'Rather, you are my Companions; my brothers are those who will believe in me although they have not seen me.'"
Among the narrators of Abu Ya'la is Muhtasib Abu A'idh, whom Ibn Hibban declared thiqah (trustworthy) and Ibn Adi declared da'if (weak). The rest of Abu Ya'la's narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except al-Fadl bin al-Sabbah, and he is thiqah (trustworthy). Ahmad's chain contains a narrator, Jisr, and he is da'if (weak).
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih except Muhtasib.
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب المناقب / 16697
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسنادہ حسن
Hadith Takhrij«اخرجه أبو يعلى فى المسند (3390) اخرجه احمد فى المسند (155/3) ، أخرجه مسند أحمد برقم: 12169، 7933، 9037، وأخرجه المعجم الأوسط للطبراني برقم: 5490»